Turns out that that Washington Post screwup wasn’t what it initially seemed.
Category: DC Page 5 of 26
So I’ve been joking (sorta) about Northern Virginia seceding from the rest of Virginia since, oh, about a year after I moved to Arlington (this makes it many many years). In my original formulation, I was all about reconstituting the original DC – it was going to be Arlington & Alexandria re-forming with the District. Then a year or so later, I realized that Falls Church isn’t the sleepy ‘burb I thought it was, and it would be unfair to leave them suffering in Virginia, so I added them in. And then – as all successful political strategies must do – my vision compromised a bit, and morphed to include Fairfax County. It’s not really my kind of place (as best I can tell, anyway – I only ever see it from a bike path or Dulles Airport), but it seems to work for a lot of people, and any state I’m going to help form has to have an international airport. So. That’s the plan that I’ve been pushing at parties for the past decade. Now? Well, perhaps it’s time to consider another addition.* Loudoun County.
I know, I know. Why would I want a place that is mostly low-tax-base horse farms** in a political unit that is otherwise urban/suburban?  And nevermind the political makeup, right? I mean, the whole point of something like secession is being able to pick your friends, no? For example, a friend in Loudoun recently wrote to tell me about a situation where:
A local committee was working to evaluate what to do with all the requests that come in throughout the year to use our County courthouse lawn here in Leesburg. They decided not to allow any use because there we so many applications for things such as bands. Many of the locals (many religious folks) protested because that would also mean no annual Christmas tree or nativity scene. Well the supervisors backed down to this protest and now are allowing up to 10 holiday “displays”.
Totally not the kind of place that would fit in with the new state, right? Except, well, here are summaries for the seven applications pending for the 10 spaces available for display:
* The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1177, in Leesburg, has applied to put up a Christmas tree from Dec. 10 through Jan. 1. Post members would provide the tree.
* Along with the VFW, the Knights of Columbus Holy Family Council #6831, of Leesburg, is applying to place a Christmas tree from Dec. 10 to Jan. 1. The tree would be provided by the organization, which would also provide the installation and removal of the tree on the requested days.
* Leesburg resident Dennis Welsh has requested to place a crÂche, or Nativity scene, on the southwest corner of the grounds.
* Loudoun Interfaith Bridges has requested permission to put up an interfaith display to include a Menorah, crescent, and Sikh display to honor the Jewish, Muslim and Sikh holidays in December. The group is requesting that the display go up the week of Dec. 14 or Dec. 21, in the corner with the crÂche.
* Leesburg resident Richard L. Wingrove is requesting the placing of a six-foot banner provided by Freedom From Religion Foundation, saying “At This Season of the Winter Solstice, May Reason Prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural World. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.” Wingrove is requesting the banner be placed in same area as the Nativity scene.
* Sugarland Run resident Edward R. Myers is applying for three signs to be placed on the fence around the courthouse in time for the Leesburg holiday parade to commemorate the Dec. 15 anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights. Myers put together a parody of the “12 Day of Christmas” song to include “12 master debaters, 11 cunning linguists, 10 percent jobless, 9 niggardly noobs, 8-speech as gay tweets, 7 teabagger tools, 6-ting safety screws, 5 birther-control rings, 4 sucky health care, 3-dom disappearing, 2 many bills and a red FCUK to you too.”
Any place that can produce that last application? Has a place in my future state.
*No, no, not Prince William. Are you crazy? That nutjob county is welcome to form its own country, fence and everything. I’ll help them build it.
**Actually, I don’t know if this is true. Like Fairfax, 95% of my experience with Loudoun is from the seat of my bike. And? There’s a lotta horse farms.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but this is an honest to god Washington Post correction:
A Nov. 26 article in the District edition of Local Living incorrectly said a Public Enemy song declared 9/11 a joke. The song refers to 911, the emergency phone number.
Really.
Update: I think I might have found the original article, and if so, it means that WaPo – institutionally – is the joke. And not the author. Will post more as I find it.
A year or two ago, I put a link to Gwadzilla in the right bar under “Community”. It’s good to see that the mainstream press is catching up.
(It’s funny. While we’ve got a fair number of friends in common and a city we most certainly share, we’ve only chatted a few times in person. Yet I’m quite sure that Gwadzilla is my kind of people.)
I was going to link to Mike@Blueweed’s excellent The Tyranny of Quaint with a bit of mocking about how he needs to write more, but I think I need to take some Windex to this glass house, first. So, here goes:
Remember, no matter what happens next Tuesday, “it’s good for conservatives“:
There is nothing, nada, zilch, zero, nothing, that is bad news for conservatives. When they win elections, it proves we’re a conservative country. When they lose, it proves it. When we pass health care bills, it proves it. When we lower taxes, it proves it. When we raise taxes, it proves it. Everything proves it always.
Always.
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Of course, Democrats do have a pretty solid claim on the suckage:
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) has proposed a variety of ideas on how to advance the [DC voting rights] bill. But the reaction from party leaders, as the Web site Politico reported, seems to be “forget it.” No doubt Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), looking ahead to his own tough reelection battle, sees no gain in irritating the powerful gun lobby. In fact, Mr. Reid voted for the Ensign amendment, making it easier for other Democrats to follow suit. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says that she’s looking for opportunities to pass the bill, but to date that hasn’t involved pressing members to put principle ahead of political interests. President Obama, who sponsored voting rights legislation as a senator, has done nothing on the issue.
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This man built a Pan Am 747 First Class cabin in his garage. I’m not saying it’s okay, but I understand.
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There are, in fact, clever people with a sense of fun in DC.
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Aww, are “good white people” are under threat in the US?:
Here’s one of the “questions” asked in the poll, tailor-made for Fox News Channel:
Federal Communications Commission Chief Diversity Czar Mark Lloyd wants the FCC to force good white people in positions of power in the broadcast industry to step down to make room for more African-Americans and gays to fill those positions. Do you agree or disagree that this presents a threat to free speech?
It’s worth noting that this question only elicited 51 percent support.
Hilarious.
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The willingness of Redskins fans to support an organization that does this continues to be beyond my grasp.  I’m not a football – or really even a sports – fan, but I moved to DC right after Jack Kent Cooke died in 1997, and haven’t been able to escape Redskins news since then. And you know? It’s been uniformly shitty the entire 12 years. Why, people?
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Former Murky Coffee owner, tax cheat, and douchebag extraordinaire Nick Cho finally got booked on tax charges.
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If you ever leave me again,
I’ll down a bottle of
baby aspirin:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqBWMUMhIGE[/youtube]
Update: Wait, forget that crap copy. Go here and enjoy the extraordinary talents of Subtle Sexuality’s fabulous KELLY KAPOOR (and erin hannon).
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Readability helps with exactly that. I like it. Very much.
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How the public lost out on the battle between Big Pharma and generics.  It’s a short but informative look into one of the many battles with big consequences for the costs of health care.
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I find my stuff in the most interesting places. (Okay, it’s probably not that interesting to too many people beyond me, considering the dearth of entries. But still.)
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I know it’s supposed to be satire, but I kinda wonder if Ken Cuccinelli wrote this.  Cuccinelli is the GOP candidate for Virginia Attorney General, and is such a bigot that even the normally spineless VA Log Cabin Republicans not only won’t support him, but are calling for his defeat. That link also helps illustrate why I think libertarian support for GOP candidates is misplaced (and that’s putting it very kindly):
No real libertarian has a record (like Mr. Cuccinelli does) of
· Opposition to repealing the state sodomy law, even though it was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court
· Opposition to allowing private companies to offer health and life insurance benefits to domestic partners of their employees
· Opposition to prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation for state and local government employees
· Opposition to allowing local governments to choose what benefits they give their local employees
· Opposition to any kind of legal protections for gay and lesbian couples, even the limited rights embodied in domestic partnerships or civil unions
· Support for banning gay/straight alliances in public high schools
· Support for state funding of abstinence programs
Each one of those stupid little Gadsen flags ought to have an asterisk at the end of “Don’t Tread on Me”, leading to a “Tread On Him, Instead.” That would be a far more honest and accurate portrayal of the beliefs of the vast majority of “libertarians.”
Just picked up this press release, which I’m passing along in its entirety, because it’s such a great idea:
C&O Canal Trust to Hold Open Houses to Launch New Canal Quarters Program
“Stay the Night, Remember Forever!â€
Hagerstown, MD – The C&O Canal Trust, in partnership with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, has scheduled open houses at three lockhouses that will be available to the public for the first time ever for overnight stays as part of the innovative new Canal Quarters Interpretive Program.
- Lockhouse 49—Saturday, October 31, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Lockhouse 22—Sunday, November 1, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Lockhouse 6—Sunday, November 8, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The open houses are free and open to everyone. Seasonal refreshments will be provided. Visitors will be able to see the inside of the restored lockhouses, learn local lore from park rangers, and find out more about this unique interpretive program.
The Canal Quarters lockhouses have been painstakingly rehabilitated and furnished to evoke different eras in the canal’s history. The furnishings in Lockhouse 49 at Four Locks near Clear Spring in Washington County, Maryland, reflect the period of the early 20th century, toward the end of the canal’s operations. Lockhouse 22 at Pennyfield Lock near Potomac, Maryland, will show what life was like during the establishment and construction of the canal in the 1830s. Lockhouse 6, near the Brookmont community off of Clara Barton Parkway, is furnished as it may have been in the 1950s to tell the story of the campaign to preserve the canal led by Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
Immediately following the open houses, the public will be able to make online reservations on the Trust’s website, www.canaltrust.org, to schedule their own stay.
According to C&O Canal Trust President Matthew Logan, ―Nothing quite like this has ever been offered to the public in a national park. We are excited to provide a new way for people of all ages to experience this world class resource. Kevin Brandt, Superintendent of the C&O Canal NHP, says, ―Our lockhouses are over 170 years old and we know that the best way to save these invaluable buildings is to use them in an appropriate manner. This program allows us to accomplish two key goals: protecting our historic structures while offering an extraordinary interpretive experience.‖
There are 26 lockhouses, the residences of the men and their families who operated the lock gates, in the C&O Canal NHP. All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All told, the C&O Canal has more than 1,300 historic structures, more than any other park in the country.
Founded in 2007, the C&O Canal Trust is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, restore, and promote the C&O Canal National Historical Park. As the official ―friends‖ organization for the park, the Trust seeks to ensure that the C&O Canal’s natural, historical, and recreational potential is fully realized.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves and interprets the historical, natural, and recreational resources of the C&O Canal. Over 3,000,000 visitors a year enjoy the opportunities for recreation and understanding that the park has to offer. For more information, visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/choh.
I am absolutely doing this. For those of you who don’t know what it is, the C&O Canal Towpath is what’s left of a 185 mile canal that was originally constructed with the idea of connecting the interior midwest to the Potomac River. It’s super flat, and runs through some of the best scenery this part of the country has to offer. I’ve done day-long rides from Harper’s Ferry, but have never ridden the full length of it. I definitely will now.
From the folks at BikeDC:
On Saturday, October 17th, thousands of area bicyclists will take over the streets of downtown Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA, as part of Bike DC, a celebration of both bicycling and our community. Bike DC, the Washington and Arlington Community Bike Ride, is a noncompetitive ride offering miles of car-free biking past some of the nation’s most famous landmarks.
Bike DC is celebrating the beauty of our city with a photo contest sponsored by Penn Camera. Whether you’re riding with your friends and family, or enjoying car-free site-lines at DC’s most scenic monuments, we encourage you to capture the two-wheeled spirit of our cycling community with your camera.
There are many great photo opportunities on the Bike DC routes this year, including the Key Bridge, the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial, the Capitol Building, the White House, the Air Force Memorial, and countless others! After the event, upload your photos to the “Bike DC Community Ride†group on the free photo-hosting site Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1232071@N20/).
Winners will be selected by the Bike DC event organizers on Monday, November 9th, giving you plenty of time to upload your photos after the ride. 3 photos will be selected to receive: 2 Finalist Prizes of complimentary registrations to the 2010 Bike DC ride; and 1 Grand Prize of a $50 gift card plus $50 in photofinishing services from Penn Camera.
Penn Camera has been serving the photographic needs of our nation’s capital for over 50 years. From its origins as a single storefront along historic Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown DC to its current chain of nine stores throughout the Washington, DC- Baltimore metropolitan corridor, Penn Camera has steadily grown to become the premier supplier of photographic goods in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Follow Bike DC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bikedc <http://www.facebook.com/bikedc> ) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/bikedc <http://www.twitter.com/bikedc> ) for more photo contest announcements. Check our official web site (www.BikeDC.net <http://www.BikeDC.net> ) for route information or to register for Bike DC.
Bike DC, after a successful test-run last year, is back for sure. On Saturday, October 17th, thousands of bicyclists will participate in Bike DC. This year, it expands across the Potomac to be the “Washington and Arlington Community Bike Ride.”  For those who are unfamiliar with it, this is a noncompetitive ride offering miles of car-free biking through the heart of DC and Arlington. It also gives participants the opportunity to enjoy cycling on the George Washington Parkway, which is normally closed to bikes (this is the part I’m particularly looking forward to, as will anyone who’s ever driven the parkway). I hope you’ll consider coming out and enjoying the day. Details are:
Time & Start:
There are two route options. The 25-mile Capital Ride begins at 8 a.m. The 12-mile Family Ride begins at 9 a.m. Both rides begin on Constitution Street NW in front of the National Archives Building and end across the Potomac River in Crystal City, Virginia.
Cost:
To make the event especially family-friendly, Bike DC is free of charge for children 15-years old and younger. Registration and helmets are required. The adult registration fee is $35 for the Capital Ride and $25 for the Family Ride. Registration fees are $10 higher on the day of the event. Details and registration are available online at www.BikeDC.net until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 16th.
Route Differences:
Both the Capital and Family rides pass by the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Pentagon, and the Marine Corps and Air Force memorials. The longer Capital Ride also features a climb up Embassy Row to the U. S. Naval Observatory and the Twin Oaks estate in NW Washington, plus a rare opportunity to bike the tree-lined George Washington Parkway in Arlington and the Whitehurst Freeway in Washington.
While I’m definitely going to get a lap or two in on the GW section, I’ll be spending most of the ride as a volunteer near at the Iwo Jima rest stop. Say hi.
Update: this is a map of the longer route:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvC3hVXZpc4[/youtube]
Lifting an Atrios post in its entirety:
Perhaps if reporters stop sanitizing the language of politicians and their people we can stop pretending that respectable people never use horribly uncivil naughty words. More than that, Villagers can stop pretending that people in their little community never tolerate such horrid behavior. People in DC swear a lot. A senator I had just met in an on the record setting let loose ‘fuck’ and ‘shit’ within about 5 minutes. Now I’m not going to “report” this (as in naming names) because I don’t think it’s particularly newsworthy, and depending on the day it might cause the absurd fainting couches to come out, but it would be nice if we all stop pretending that bad words are not a part of our normal discourse, used by people everywhere in the socioeconomic spectrum all the time…
No shit. And I say that as a DC denizen of more than a decade now.